


This One's For You

by PeaceLilies



Series: The Social Media Series [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: First Love, Getting Together, Keith is a badass, M/M, Military mention, Piercings, SHIRO HAS DIMPLES, Shiro Can Sing, Tattoos, TikTok, cursing/expletives, death mention, mentions and suggestions of sex, pandemic!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:06:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28455066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeaceLilies/pseuds/PeaceLilies
Summary: Shiro starts a TikTok during the pandemic and it gets very popular, which allows him to reconnect with his best friend Keith from high school
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Series: The Social Media Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2084220
Comments: 22
Kudos: 105





	This One's For You

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh! A silly little drabble that has been on my mind for a while and was further inspired by Renkakirai
> 
> Thank you to Ren, as always, for reading my stuff!!!

Shiro wasn’t the kind of person who liked attention. He was just as comfortable being alone as he was being surrounded by people. So when he’d been told that, like most other immunocompromised people, he’d need to stay home because of this virus that had now reached the States, he’d been totally stoked. 

Three to four weeks while this thing ran its course and then he’d be back to work at the office and doing all the normal stuff he would usually do. No problem. He had enough equipment in his apartment to work out in, a small office for work, Yuki his cat. He would be good. 

And then they were past the month mark and it looked like there was no end in sight. 

Shiro would be the first to admit that he spiraled. His depression hit pretty hard, feeling trapped and frustrated, unable to do any of the usual coping that he might normally do. At least he was still working, which helped. It kept him in a routine, but even then, it was hard to feel motivated or energized. So he decided to go back to therapy. 

Nothing was the same...but it felt better being reminded that he was adaptable, that he had coping skills, that none of this was forever, even if they couldn’t see the end yet. Upon his therapist’s suggestion, he decided to revisit old hobbies, making more of an effort to Zoom call with his friends, even if it wasn’t quite the same as seeing them in person. 

And everyone was so great. People at work, his friends, all reaching out to see if he needed help with anything because of his condition. Friends and coworkers would drop off groceries or baked goods, everyone being so respectful and mindful in taking precautions. It helped restore some faith in humanity, even though he was fuming at all of the people not wearing masks. 

Shiro channeled his energy into other things. He kept a workout routine, made sure to work only eight hours and no more unless necessary, took care of the cat, had coffee on his balcony to get fresh air and sunshine when the weather permitted, and...started singing and playing piano again. 

He had always been a casual singer. He’d done some choir and a capella in high school and college, mostly just singing when he was alone, now that he lived by himself, and didn’t have to worry about anyone hearing him. Except his neighbors, but they’d never complained. 

Shiro had toyed with the idea of putting some of his stuff on TikTok, just because. He could use some extra serotonin and if it kept his IRL friends entertained. He figured it might be worth it. It would also give him something to look forward to and it would offer its own unique set of challenges in regards to skill on multiple levels, not just singing. 

He’d told his friend Matt about it, who did Twitch streaming with his sister Katie, and he offered some suggestions, and helped Shiro get started. He was using his phone and headset for work to record, since he didn’t have any other equipment, and wasn’t going to invest when he only had 5 followers. 

Shiro decided to start out slow, doing covers of songs he was very comfortable with and confident that he could sing well. Lots of pop music. Matt helped with editing and his friend Hunk, who was one of the first people to see the finished product, recommended additional equipment he might want to consider if he decided to keep doing the recordings, just so things sounded a little crisper. 

For the first few weeks, nothing happened. His views had upped a little, some people stumbling across his profile because of tags. But there were so many other more talented people, who had been doing this for years longer than he had. They had hundreds of videos and thousands of followers. He felt like a very tiny fish, in a very large pond, surrounded by whales.

His original intention had never been to amass a giant following and that still wasn’t the goal...but it was hard to not compare himself to everyone else, with 1.6K views, and his own video, with 40. But the new people who did follow him were sweet and supportive, and he was happy to keep making videos for them, and for his friends, because he knew at least some people were out there who liked what he was posting. 

It was fun having a small community of fellow singers and those who enjoyed what they posted, to take a step outside of his real life, and focus on something different. When he was singing, he didn’t have to worry about the fact that he couldn’t go outside, or hug any of his friends, or even date. 

He got to collaborate with a few people, his favorite having been Allura. She was massively popular and one of the nicest people he’d ever met. They were able to Zoom and collaborate on _You’re the One that I Want_ from Grease, which was insanely fun, and even a few of the more popular people started following him thanks to that.

Shiro found himself really having a good time. He got excited talking to his therapist about it, it was easier to feel motivated, to have more energy, to feel like things were going to be okay. He made a whole post about it. How grateful he was to the community he’d found, for how open and welcoming everyone was, that finding this little spot of the internet made him feel hopeful. 

He posted his version of Dido’s _Thank You_ and went to bed, only to wake up the next morning with thousands of new followers, notifications of comments, of reblogs, and tweets. He’d never seen so much activity before. 

_Matt🚀 [9:30:55AM] DUDE! YOU WENT VIRAL!_

_Hunk🥧 [9:32:30AM] Shiro, my man, you’re BLOWING UP on social media right now!_

_Allura 👑 [9:34:10AM] Oh my goodness, Shiro! I saw your latest video! It was so sweet and heartwarming it made me tear up and your rendition was sheer perfection! It’s gotten so many views! I’m so proud of you 💖💖💖💖💖_

Shiro didn’t even get out of bed, he just rolled over blearily and scrolled through his phone. His video was _everywhere_. 

“Holy shit,” he murmured to Yuki, who was rubbing against his arm, oblivious to what was happening on the internet. 

_@musiclaughlove HAVE YOU SEEN THIS VIDEO! This guy is both BEAUTIFUL and TALENTED!_

_@gallinagogirl OMG! This is the SWEETEST video!_

_@drafthumor those DIMPLESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS_

_@princesssubway asdygashkdbwqoiqeljpn LOOK AT HIM!_

_@tenseartful this is one of the best cover ive ever heard_

_@quirkypudding that voice. THAT FACE. holy crap…_

_@catharuslout I would love nothing more than for him to sing to me while he crushes my head with his bicep_

Tons and tons of comments, DMs, reposts...it was CRAZY! Is this what Allura dealt with all the time? He texted her back, a little bit in a panic as the push notifications kept popping up on his phone. 

He got out of bed, nearly stepping on the cat, murmuring to her in apology as he made his way to his kitchen for coffee and maybe some guidance from Allura. She got back to him pretty quickly, recommending that he, 1) not try and respond to every DM or comment, 2) change his settings to filter out any bots or gross people, and 3) go with the flow. It was certainly overwhelming to have things blow up overnight, but he didn’t have to adhere to the masses. His TikTok page was his own and he could continue to create whatever he liked. 

Shiro did a short breathing exercise, allowing Allura’s words to help calm him. She was right. Even with this sudden blow up in popularity, he needn’t change all that he was doing. If it continued on like this...he would seriously consider getting new gear...but this was meant to be enjoyable, not stressful. 

Over the next few days, things escalated. 

There was an article on Buzzfeed about him, his video being circulated around Tumble, Twitter, other social media sights. They even featured him on ABC and MSNBC. It was crazy and surreal. He had all kinds of people calling him, from high school teachers to former friends to people asking if he needed an agent. 

It was sort of exhausting and he took some time to weed through all the craziness. He didn’t have the energy to post any new content right away, shuffling through all the weird DMs and comments...until one caught his eye. 

**_@koganered_ ** _hey shiro. i hope ur the shiro im thinking of. takashi shirogane from mcarthur high school? u were on the football team. anyway, i dont know if ull remember me, but this is keith kogane. i know we sort of lost touch after u went to basic training. im really glad to see that ur doing well. hit me up some time or just ignore this if ur a different shiro. like ur stuff._

Shiro read the message a few times, honestly surprised at having found it, and the realization of who it was. Who it could be. The PFP was of a large dog, so he couldn’t be sure, and the social media account had very little beyond a few pictures of the dog and a red motorcycle. 

It _had_ to be Keith. They’d talked about him getting a red motorcycle when they’d been in high school. And how many Keith Koganes could there possibly be in the world?

Shiro remembered Keith. Remembered him so well. Had thought of him pretty consistently over the last ten years. They’d been best friends in middle school and all through high school. And then Shiro had gone off to basic training and got blown up...and now he was here. 

He sat back in his desk chair, staring up at the ceiling, phone dangling from his hand. Yuki jumped into his lap, meowing at him softly, and he rested his prosthesis on her back, stroking her soft fur gently, unconsciously. 

_Keith Kogane_. 

He had never stopped thinking about Keith, but it always seemed like something got in the way of his reaching out. Not enough time, too busy at work, too tired after a long day, feeling anxious, feeling depressed, feeling anti-social. They had been best friends. He felt guilty about never having gotten in touch. He’d wanted to, but so much had happened. Maybe Keith wouldn’t want to hear from him.

But...he had reached out to Shiro, so, it was probably fine? The guy didn’t look like he was on social media much, so Shiro put his phone down, stretching out in his chair, trying to rid himself of anxiety. 

Shiro lifted his hand and looked at his phone. He went to Keith’s message and typed back. 

**_@shirosings_ ** _Keith. Wow. Yes. Of course I remember you. It’s been so long! How have you been? I can’t believe you found me, well, I guess I can, but, thank you so much for reaching out! And thank you for liking what I’m doing! It’s been forever! Is your cell number still the same? I think I still have it! I would love to catch up sometime! Can I text you?_

Shiro wasn’t sure if he should wait for a response, filled with anxious butterflies now that the message was out there. He felt sort of silly. Overeager. But it was Keith. Keith had always been understanding. He sighed. 

“Alright. C’mon, Yuki...let’s do something else…” he said to the cat, moving to get up. She jumped down, mewing at him in protest for uprooting her, but followed him jauntily into the living room. 

Shiro tried to keep himself away from his phone, not wanting to obsess over the message, or hover around, waiting for a response. But he couldn’t leave the apartment and he inevitably came back to his phone. 

A message awaited. 

He eagerly unlocked his phone, messing his PIN up twice in his rushing, and finally got it. 

**_@koganered_ ** _yeah, man, it has. been okay, tryin’ to keep busy. ur hard to miss, ur pretty much everywhere now. which is pretty sick. number’s still the same, feel free to text any time. i would love to catch up, too._

Shiro read the message a few times, filled with surprising excitement. He scrolled through his contacts and breathed a sigh of relief at seeing Keith’s name and number. He opened up a new text. 

_You [5:35:19PM] Hey Keith! It’s Shiro! I’m so glad I still have your number! It was so so good to hear from you! I’m glad you’ve been well! I know it’s been so long since we talked last, I feel like there’s so much to catch up on! What have you been up to the past few years? How’s your mom? Are you still in Phoenix? Looking forward to hearing from you!_

_Keith K [5:40:10PM] hey shiro. thanks for getting back to me! yeah, i’m glad too i was honestly really surprised when i saw you online it was sort of unexpected but i’m also kinda not surprised ur really talented always have been uhhh short story is i went to trade school moved away from home and live in portland now long story is...long lol i could tell you over some coffee over zoom?_

Shiro blinked at the text. He felt like it had taken an eternity for Keith to text back, watching the text bubbles appear and disappear and then appear again. He wasn’t expecting coffee. His heart flip-flopped and he chewed on his lip. He didn’t want to keep Keith waiting, but he also didn’t want to sound crazy or too overeager.

_You [5:45:06] YOU’RE IN PORTLAND, TOO?! That’s amazing!!!! I’d love to get coffee! I really would love to catch up and hear the whole story!_

Shiro waited with bated breath for the reply. 

_Keith K [4:47:21] really? that is awesome its been a weird year but maybe we can figure something out in person when this is all over when are you free? i have a flexible schedule_

They texted back and forth a little more with setting up their Zoom call, exchanging a few more conversational tidbits about life in quarantine, Shiro’s singing, Yuki the cat, and Keith’s dog, Kosmo. Keith even sent him a few pictures of the fluffy pup.

It felt really good to reconnect with Keith. Shiro didn’t want to necessarily have to wait to talk and hoped it was okay that they kept texting. 

Keith seemed open to it, responding in kind, sending pictures of Kosmo and memes back and forth. Shiro asked Keith if he had any thoughts about the songs Shiro couldn’t decide to cover and Keith sent Shiro pictures of his motorcycle. 

_You [2:15:03PM] You always said that you wanted one. I’m glad you finally do._

_Keith K [2:15:45PM] yeah me too 😄😄😄😄_

It felt to Shiro a bit like they were picking up where they had left off. Casual, enjoyable conversations, about everything and nothing. It was nice to refamiliarize and he hadn’t even realized how much he had missed Keith until they were talking. 

He was really looking forward to talking to him face to face.

******************************************************************************************************

Seeing Shiro’s face on the internet after nearly ten years of not hearing from him hit Keith like a freight train. 

They say that you never forget your first love...and boy was that ever true. 

Keith hadn’t stopped thinking about Takashi Shirogane since the day he met him in the playground in middle school. Big friendly smile, warm hand helping him out of the dirt. 

Shiro had been his best friend. The one person he had felt closest to since losing his dad, who had been there when he had found his mom. The person he had shared all of his ups and downs with. 

He had never thought ill of Shiro when they lost touch. They’d written some letters back and forth, a few calls here or there, and then Shiro had been sent overseas. And...Keith had thought he had died. He wasn’t family and Shiro didn’t have any living relatives, so he didn’t know what to do. 

He had an IG account and a Twitter he never really used, which didn’t help, carrying no answers about what had become of his friend, and Keith didn’t have any information about his unit or anything. It had been really hard to grieve that loss, to mourn for his friend. And then come to find that he had been alive this whole time! 

Keith had been so shell-shocked to see Shiro’s handsome face plastered all over the internet. He was different, but still the same. His features sharper with age, a scar across his nose, two-toned hair that looked surprisingly edgy, but he was still handsome. He was everywhere and all of the feelings Keith had thought had died when he thought Shiro had, came rushing back to him. 

He felt embarrassed after the fact. He was like a schoolkid again, and to top it off, why had he immediately jumped to the conclusion that his best friend had _died_?! Shiro didn’t need to know any of this...didn’t need to be privy to Keith’s innermost thoughts. Did that mean he wanted to reach out?

Well...he did. He wanted to reconnect. 

Shiro had been...still was...an important person to him. 

They had experienced so much together. There were so many Shiro-isms that Keith still lived by today. 

_Patience Yields Focus. Go! Be great! You have to believe in yourself, Keith._

He had called his mom, who seemed to already know what he was going to say, what he was thinking. It surprised him sometimes, remembering how alike they were, how much she got him, when she had been out of his life for so long. But he was grateful. 

“I know, Kit. I saw.” 

She always called him Kit, instead of Keith, a tender nickname that had grown on him over the years. 

“I just...I can’t believe he’s still alive. I mean, I’m glad he is! But like...all this time…”

“You should reach out.”

“I...I mean, yeah. But like...he’s going to get so many messages and stuff...I don’t want him to think I’m just reaching out because all of a sudden he’s internet famous. I don’t want him to think that I want something from him…”

He heard his mother gently coo over the phone, a smile in her voice. 

“Sweetheart, you’re his best friend. If he’s the same Shiro I remember, he’ll be so happy to hear from you.” 

And she seemed to have been right. 

Keith wasn't expecting Shiro to respond to his message. It took him a few days, probably going through the thousands of DMs that had flooded his inbox once that video had gone viral, but he responded. 

Keith felt bold after that. Perhaps because they were just texting, but it felt easy to ask Shiro out for coffee, to set up a time to Zoom. And Shiro only fanned the flames the more they talked. It all came back to Keith. Wave after wave, remembering all of the things he liked about Shiro. He was smart and funny and kind. So kind. Always focused on other people. 

He found himself mooning over Shiro at night, scrolling through his phone, looking at Shiro’s videos, photos on his IG. There was a lot to Shiro’s story, he was sure. With the scar, and the hair, and the prosthesis. But Keith didn’t pry. If Shiro wanted to tell him, he would, Keith would be all ears. But none of it detracted from how attractive he was. 

He had those soulful gray eyes, those sweet dimples, that perfect smile, beautiful voice, and Keith’s favorite part...his adorably large ears. He could think about how pretty Shiro was all day. He was equal parts mortified at himself but also helplessly smitten. Shiro had always been able to do that. He was squealing at his phone, unable to stop himself, and Kosmo kept giving him weird looks, as if to say, _how undignified, human_. 

Keith had loved Shiro as long as he could remember. 

He had been _everything_ in high school. Popular, handsome, athletic, smart. His best friend. His crush. 

On paper, they were nothing alike, only sharing interests when it came to athletics. Shiro was a straight A student, Keith barely squeaked by with Cs. Shiro was president of the Student Council and Keith was often in detention. 

He’d be the first to admit that he had been a moody teen, struggling with his dad’s death and the sudden appearance of his mother into his life during their sophomore year. But Shiro had been there, helping Keith study, getting him involved, supporting him when he most needed someone there. He was never going to be on quite the same level as Shiro, it just wasn’t his bag to be a hardworking student. He was smart, but bored, where Shiro was like a puppy, always eager to please. But his sunshiney personality and ever listening ear had helped Keith through the toughest times of his life. 

It helped that he wasn’t afraid to break the rules sometimes, either. They’d found themselves sneaking out past curfew to hang out at the park on more than one occasion.

Keith got his grades up, joined the soccer team, even participated in art club...and he wasn’t half bad. Shiro helped him get into pretty good schools, though Keith opted to go to trade school instead, working as a mechanic. He did some freelance art stuff on the side, though, and was doing well for himself. 

All thanks to Shiro. 

Of course...his plan _wasn’t_ to tell Shiro any of this, at least, not about his feelings for him. Only that he was glad that he was okay and to reconnect after so many years. 

The days leading up to the Zoom call had Keith in a fit of nervous-excitement. He wasn't sure what to expect...hoped that it was like picking up where they had left off. The texting helped, it was nice to hear from Shiro every day. 

When the day finally arrived, Keith found himself nervous and scattered. He tried to make his room look as neat as possible, despite his disorganization. Art supplies and clothes everywhere, patches of Kosmo’s fur (he really needed to vacuum). He dug up a plain shirt that wasn’t ripped and looked nice, just wanting to be casual. 

_Be cool, Kogane. Just...be cool._

*****************************************************************************************************

The Zoom call went...so much better than Shiro had been anticipating. 

He had been so nervous. Changing his outfit seven times, rearranging and cleaning his room obsessively, even giving Yuki a grooming, texting all of his friends about what he should or shouldn't do. He didn’t need to be so nervous. It was just Keith. His _best friend_. 

They hadn’t talked in so long…But they had done a lot of catching up already. Texting every day, even if it was just a check in at night before bed. He forced himself to breathe. Everything was going to be fine. 

Shiro had sat down at his computer, heart pounding as he waited for Keith. All sorts of scenarios running through his mind, heart rate ratcheting up when Keith’s name popped up in the meeting. 

Shiro was surprised at first, unable to help but stare, dumbfounded, at the very handsome man on the screen in front of him. Shiro remembered eighteen year old Keith, still coming into his own, scrappy, hovering a head shorter than Shiro, wiry, but strong, his face slowly losing any childish roundness. 

Before him was an extra ten years of age...and it had only served Keith well. 

He was...gorgeous. 

Inky black hair that touched his shoulders, familiar fringe still hanging in his face, which was sharper now, masculine, though the indigo eyes were still the same. 

Shiro couldn’t see much more detail, though he wished he could, his heart having stopped, and he garbled out a greeting to cover for his surprise, his face red in the midst of his evident gay panic. But Keith only took it in stride, laughing, his voice deeper and huskier than Shiro remembered. 

Then they started talking...and everything was great. 

Keith had decided to pursue trade school, becoming a mechanic, moving with his mom to Portland, and doing some freelance artwork on the side. There was Kosmo, a small group of friends, a steady job that he enjoyed, and riding his motorcycle on the weekends. He even volunteered to coach a grade school soccer team. 

He was still a little rough around the edges, echoes of the rebel teen Shiro knew shining through in parts. He had piercings and tattoos, but it was evident that Keith was more comfortable with himself now. He joked, he laughed, was more open with Shiro than he was expecting. 

“I know this is going to sound so...crazy,” Keith said, leaning closer to the screen, his expression softening. “When I stopped hearing from you...I thought you had died…”

He said it softly, looking...guilty perhaps, or ashamed. Shiro wasn’t even upset. He understood. It was a completely plausible explanation for his disappearance from Keith’s life. 

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re not...wrong exactly,” Shiro replied softly, “I got really lucky.”

Keith didn’t have to ask and Shiro found himself not even minding telling Keith what had happened. He had talked about his trauma plenty over the years and had become much more adept at managing his PTSD. He didn’t go into excruciating detail, just enough so Keith knew his story. 

“So here I am. Kind of banged up and stuff, but...alive. Happy.” 

Keith had smiled then, after hearing it all, beaming at Shiro as if this was the greatest gift he had ever been given. 

“Good. I’m so glad you’re here…”

They finished their call after nearly eight hours of talking (Shiro had never been so grateful for having the premium version) and set up another call. And then another. And then another. 

Soon enough they were talking every day, video calling nearly that, falling into an easy rhythm. They were about a month in and Shiro knew he was done for. He was crushing so hard, it was embarrassing. 

All the new songs he posted were love ballads. Heart songs that made him think of Keith. They were longing and sappy and his followers all commented about why he was singing those songs, speculating about the person he must have his eyes on. 

But he couldn’t help it. He and Keith had only just reconnected, he didn’t want to all of a sudden spring his feelings on him and freak him out. He was afraid to disrupt their friendship, especially when things were going so well. 

Keith even noted the change in the songs, not that he didn’t like them, just that it was different. Shiro came up with a lame cover, that it was just to appease the masses, and Keith seemed to accept that. 

This went on for _months_. 

Shiro finally realized that he should maybe say something to Keith when he did a cover of _Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart_ by Ariana Grande, and his friends started asking what was going on. The song was his best cover after _Thank You_ and it was blowing up, accompanied by tons of speculation about Shiro’s personal life. 

He ended up caving to Allura, who was a sympathetic but no-nonsense ear. 

“Shiro, you need to tell him.”

“Allura---”

“No, Shiro. Listen. You need to tell him. This is starting to get ridiculous. If Keith is the kind of person that you say he is, either he will return your feelings or he’ll be respectful and I’m sure you can still remain friends.”

But that was the terrifying part. The unknowns of it all. The What-ifs. Shiro had literally just regained Keith’s friendship, it felt so new and also familiar and...perfect. He was afraid of losing that, of what might happen in the aftermath. 

He slept on Allura’s words despite his trepidation, and woke up the next day feeling more resolved. Allura was right. He owed Keith the truth and if he was the kind of friend that Shiro believed him to be and felt that he was, he would at least be respectful...and let Shiro down easy. 

They had a video call that night, so he figured he would tell Keith then. Rip off the band-aid and get it out of the way. 

He was anxious all day, waffling between texting Keith that he wanted to tell him something or... surprising him. Neither option seemed good. Eventually he just texted him, figuring it was better that Keith was warned. 

Shiro was honestly surprised that he didn’t have a panic attack, feeling so anxious about the prospect of telling Keith that he had a giant crush on him. He was sitting at his desk, waiting to see Keith’s name pop up, regretting his decision and considering whether or not he should or even could, back out. But he had already told Keith he had something to tell him and didn’t have a clear enough mind to come up with something else. His leg bounced as he waited and he tried taking some deep breaths. 

_It’s just Keith…_

***********************************************************************************************************

Keith wasn’t sure what to expect after getting a text from Shiro, letting him know he wanted to talk to him about something. His stomach had dropped at reading the text, concerned that Shiro had gotten sick or that his autoimmune disease was acting up or...any other number of horrible things. 

It hadn’t once crossed his mind that Shiro might confess feelings for him. So when it happened, he was completely caught off guard. 

Shiro was hiding behind his hands, his ears red, blabbering on about how anxious he had been to tell Keith how he felt since they had only just reconnected, that he understood if it was too soon, or if Keith didn’t feel the same way. 

He felt like an idiot just sitting there, mouth agape, trying to process what he was hearing. 

“Shiro...wait...Shiro...STOP.”

He promptly stopped talking, peeking out from behind his fingers, ears and face still red. 

“You’re not sick? Everything’s okay…?”

Shiro’s hands slid from his face and he nodded. 

“Y-yeah. I’m fine in that department…”

Keith took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment, collecting himself. He felt like his heart was going to beat right out of his chest. 

“Okay. So...the whole point of this call was just to tell me that you like-like me?” 

Shiro blinked owlish gray eyes at him and then nodded. 

“Uh...yeah. Pretty much.” 

Keith sighed, running a hand through his hair, looking off screen to collect his thoughts, unable to look at Shiro’s face while he did it. 

“Keith, listen, it’s okay if you don’t---”

“No, Shiro. Stop. Please.” 

He looked back at the screen, one hand pressed to his chest. 

“I’ve had a crush on you since I was thirteen. You’re...perfect. I’ve been so fucking excited and happy to have you back in my life when I thought I would never see you again...and now you’re telling me that you like me like I like you? It’s...a little bit to process…”

Shiro was still staring at him with his adorably red face and big eyes. 

“Oh…” he replied, as if the possibility of Keith returning his feelings had never occurred to him. 

It was Keith’s turn to put his face in his hands, feeling unable to contain everything he was feeling. How was this real life?

“Keith…?” 

He opened his eyes and slid his hands down his face, looking at Shiro. 

“I mean it. I really like you. More than as a friend. I think...I might have always felt that way, but other things got in the way. I don’t want to fuck this up.” 

Keith blinked at him, smiling softly, and nodded. 

“Neither do I.” 

They talked for several more hours after that, laughing, gushing a little about each other, figuring out where they wanted to start. The pandemic caused a little bit of an issue, but Keith was already making plans to do a strict quarantine just so he could see Shiro. 

He’d had a few partners over the years, nothing that had ever lasted very long. Plenty of hook-ups. He wanted this to last and he would do whatever was necessary to make that happen.

*************************************************************************************************************

Shiro was floating on cloud nine. Things had gone so much better than expected. Keith liked him, too, had liked him for a long time. It was so sweet and the thought made Shiro all fluttery just thinking about it. 

Keith was planning to strictly quarantine for two weeks and see Shiro after, the idea thrilling him more than he could say. He’d finally get to see him in person. He wanted to give him a nice long hug...maybe hold his hand. Shiro couldn’t remember the last time he’d hugged someone…

The idea of feeling someone else, of just having someone in his arms...or being in someone else’s arms...was enough to make him start tearing up. He hadn’t really realized how much he had missed that. He sat with the feeling for a little while before he remembered that he had someone he could say that to. And it was nice to get a warm response. 

_Keith💗 [8:15:09PM] dont worry, ill hold you as long as you like_

The text nearly made Shiro swoon. 

Two weeks felt like too long, but Shiro could be patient. He and Keith still talked every day, texting and facetiming. 

“I was going to ride my bike over. Figured that would be safer than public transit. Do you have a parking spot?” 

Shiro perked up at the idea of Keith riding his bike, enjoying the mental image, but a little too shy still to flirt about it. 

“Yeah. I don’t have a car, but the spot comes with the apartment. I’ll text you the spot number.” 

“Perfect.” 

The casual flow of conversation, just listening to Keith talk about his day, say hi to Kosmo, even to Krolia, was so nice. They talked about the pandemic and work, Shiro’s next project, the restaurants they could go to when it was safe, all of the cool things they could do together. They talked about what they could do even in quarantine, games to play, date nights in the apartment. 

Shiro felt truly hopeful. While singing and working on videos had given him a creative outlet and something to look forward to, he hadn’t felt the same level of excitement as he did the idea of being with Keith. _In person_. 

When the day finally arrived, Shiro spent the entire morning cleaning and organizing. Everything was in its place, vacuumed, dusted, perfected, including himself and the cat.

_Keith💗 [11:11:11AM] omw 😉😘_

Shiro fluttered around the apartment anxiously, straightening things that didn’t need to be straightened, wishing he hadn’t had espresso, debating whether he needed to brush his teeth again, if he should change his shirt. 

Yuki stared at him judgmentally from the couch with her big green eyes. 

“I know, I know. It’s just Keith,” he murmured to her, stroking her furry head, and giving her chin scratches until she purred. 

He wasn’t waiting very long, getting a text that Keith had parked his bike, and was on his way in. 

Shiro buzzed him in and it was only two or three minutes before there was a knock at his door. 

He took a deep breath, unlocking it, and opening it. 

  
On the other side was Keith, wearing a red handkerchief around his face, and a cropped red leather jacket. He was taller now, nearly as tall as Shiro, dressed in distressed black jeans, and riding boots. 

“Keith,” Shiro said, his voice warm and pleased, his face pink, “c’mon in.” 

Keith stepped in and Shiro closed the door. He pulled the handkerchief from his face, smiling widely with a set of beautiful teeth, his canines a little sharper, Shiro noticed. 

“Hi, Shiro,” he replied, voice surprisingly soft, “it’s so good to see you.” 

They gravitated together, wrapping their arms around each other, holding on tight. Keith smelled like motor oil, and something earthy, and clean sweat, his hair was soft against Shiro’s cheek, his body warm. It felt so nice to be hugged and Shiro closed his eyes against tears. 

Keith’s hand rested against the back of his head, gently rubbing at his undercut, the scratch of his gloves tingling his skin, before his hand settled, gently holding. They stayed like that for a long while, before Shiro slowly pulled away. 

“We don’t have to stop,” Keith said, smiling still, expression gentle. He was so much more handsome in person, his indigo eyes brighter, face sharper, a hint of stubble gracing his face that Shiro loved, and he could finally tell that his septum piercing was silver. 

Shiro laughed softly and they hugged again, rocking slowly back and forth. 

“It’s so good to see you, too, Keith.” 

They eventually pulled away, reluctant, smiling and blushing, laughing softly together. Shiro took Keith’s jacket and gloves, not missing the way his arms and torso looked in the black shirt he wore, tattoos covering both forearms and up to the cuff of his t-shirt, or the way the jeans fit perfectly around a very pert ass. Shiro’s face was red, embarrassed. They hadn’t seen each other in years and he was checking him out already. 

He felt better when he turned around to notice Keith’s own eyes sized him up, very obviously, from his socked feet to his piebald hair. 

“Can I get you anything? Water? Tea? Coffee?” 

“Water would be great,” Keith replied, hands in his pockets, looking around the apartment, following just behind Shiro. 

He must have stopped part way, greeting Yuki, because Shiro heard him whispering and say, ‘good kitty,’ and finding himself wishing that Keith would say that to _him_ , in that _exact voice_. 

Shiro brought Keith water and gave him a tour, both of them chatting idly, before settling on the couch to play some video games. It felt a little like being in high school again, gently ripping each other, getting playfully competitive. 

They ordered take out and talked some more, filling in the gaps of things that they felt could only really be said in person, before watching a movie. Keith’s fingers curled around Shiro’s, after maybe fifteen minutes of just their pinkies touching. 

It was sweet and Shiro was warmed all the way through.

*************************************************************************************************************

Keith felt like he was seventeen, finally living the things he had only dreamed about. He was holding Shiro’s hand, their heads leaning together as they watched a movie. 

Keith wasn’t even really paying attention, his entire focus on every place that his body touched Shiro’s body. He was so, so handsome...more so than Keith remembered. He was cut, like he was made out of marble, with his perfect, dimpled face, and even his two-toned hair was incredibly sexy. 

He didn’t think he would ever stop being obsessed with him.

There was a part of him that wanted to be bold, really bold, just...slide himself right into Shiro’s lap and have his way with him on every piece of furniture they could. But he had seen Shiro’s teary eyes after they had hugged and Keith didn’t want to make him feel weird, especially if he was already overwhelmed by a hug. 

That idea sort of changed when Shiro put his arm around his shoulders and Keith slid closer, leaning against his side, resting a hand on one plush pec, feeling the rapid beating of Shiro’s heart. 

“Okay?” he asked gently, looking up, Shiro looked down, and their noses touched. 

“Oh...yeah…” Shiro replied, sounding distracted. Keith, feeling emboldened by the dark, leaned in, pressing a kiss to Shiro’s lips. 

It was a quick kiss and they looked at one another for a moment, before Shiro had his arms around Keith, and they were kissing. _Really_ kissing. Keith was in Shiro’s lap, arms around his shoulders, cupping his face, smoothing into his hair. 

Was this what heaven was like? 

Keith had been dreaming about kissing Shiro for years and his dreams were finally coming true. It was everything he had ever hoped it would be and more. 

He had no idea how long they were kissing for, before pulling away for air, foreheads resting together, movie forgotten. 

“Wow,” he breathed, a smile in his voice, and Shiro chuckled, nuzzling his nose against Keith’s. 

“Yeah…” he replied, “you’re a really good kisser.” 

“So are you.” 

“I’m out of practice.”

“I couldn’t tell.” 

Keith ran his hand gently through Shiro’s hair, thumb brushing against his cheekbone, he leaned up, pressing kisses to the scar across his nose, over his cheeks and chin. Shiro giggled and the noise went straight to Keith’s heart. 

“Can I keep kissing you?” he asked softly. 

“Yes,” Shiro replied without hesitation, “but, um, h-how far were you thinking of going tonight…?”

It was hard to tell what Shiro was thinking, he sounded hesitant, and Keith recognized that they hadn’t really talked about that. 

“Only as far as you want to,” he replied honestly. He heard Shiro sigh and then felt him pull him closer, making him laugh. 

“Uh...okay. Because...I’d really like to have sex with you.” 

Keith laughed, which got Shiro chuckling, and he hugged him close. 

“I’d like that, too.”

*********************************************************************************************************

Shiro wasn’t sure how he had gotten so daring. He hadn’t really had any intention of having sex tonight, or really, any time during this pandemic, but then they’d kissed and that had all gone out the window. Which was fine. Great, actually. 

Except that Shiro didn’t have any condoms. He hadn’t had sex with anyone in...at least a year. 

“I got you,” Keith said though, leaving Shiro half naked in bed, which was just fine, because he was dizzy from all of the kissing and touching and...god, Keith was so _pretty_. Shiro wouldn’t mind just thinking about the perfect planes of Keith’s chest, the dusting of dark hair over his torso, his tattoos, and piercings, all night. 

Shiro had been so excited at seeing Keith’s nipple piercings, ripping his own shirt off, much to Keith’s amusement, to show him his own piercing. Only one though. He’d shivered when Keith and teased his thumb over it, and murmured against his mouth that he’d take him to get the other one pierced if he wanted. 

“You still good?” Keith asked, climbing back into bed, a sleeve of condoms in hand. Shiro nodded, raising an eyebrow. 

“Thinking you were gonna get real lucky tonight, huh, trouble?”

Keith just smiled and shrugged. 

“Cautiously optimistic.”

Shiro hadn’t felt this good in a long time. He had spent so much time after his discharge battling with so many things. The biggest hurdle had been how he saw himself, both physically and emotionally. 

He’d dated someone for a while, someone he thought he might consider marrying, but Shiro had wanted to take a different job, and make some changes in his life that his partner hadn’t wanted. They broke up before his move and Shiro had been alone. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t love himself, he...was starting to. He could look at himself in the mirror and he was okay with what he saw. It was a very different experience to have someone trail kisses all over your scars and tell you how beautiful you were. 

He would not have thought it to be sublime...but it was. 

Keith was incredibly complimentary and gregarious, moving at Shiro’s pace, making him feel pretty damn amazing in more ways than one. He had definitely never had sex that good before. 

And it was nice to be held after, curled up together, feeling loved and cared for and appreciated. 

Keith's fingers slid through his hair, gentle and soothing, and Shiro was drifting off faster than he would have wanted. He tightened an arm around Keith, thumb brushing against the skin at his side. 

"Be here when I wake up…?" he murmured softly. Keith kissed his forehead. 

"I'm not going anywhere…"

It felt fast...but surprisingly right, and he wouldn’t have changed a thing.

*************************************************************************************************************

 _Several Months Later..._

The beginning of Shiro’s video started with him smiling brightly at the camera saying, “this one’s for you,” with an added wink at the camera 

The frame split, so that there were five frames in total. 

Shiro was performing a rendition of _Don’t Worry Baby_ by The Beach Boys, with guest appearance by a blushing, embarrassed Keith at the end of the video, finally revealing the mystery man Shiro had been dedicating his videos to over the past several months. 

This video earned him the most views out of all his covers to date. 

Keith made a few appearances in Shiro’s videos, usually at the end, slowly becoming more comfortable with the exposure, even featuring some of his art, which got him a decent following of his own. 

Being where he was now wasn’t at all what he had been expecting. It had never entered his mind that he might reconnect with the first person he’d ever really loved and given the chance to love them. 

Shiro deserved it. 

Keith loved watching him record, getting all swept up in the moment like his viewers probably did. But he loved being able to hold Shiro and tell him how amazing and wonderful he was. 

And that was priceless.


End file.
